Dansm's Guitar Scale Lessons
The Natural Minor Scale
The minor scale appears frequently in popular music. There are actually three different minor scales: natural, harmonic, and melodic. These three scales differ slightly in their pattern of half and whole steps. All three minor scales have seven different notes and therefore have seven modes. The natural minor scale has the same pattern of half and whole steps as the major scale, but it starts on the sixth note of the major scale. Therefore, all the modes are the same, but the root and fifth appear in different places. The names and formations of the modes are found on the pages below. Once you learn how to form each mode, you can put it all together so you know where every note in the scale is on the fretboard. This is probably the most powerful use of scales. Make sure to go through these pages in order, because they build on each other. Good luck, remember to have fun, and keep playin' ! If you have any questions, e-mail me!
My Scale Notation
how to read all my scale charts

Half and Whole Steps
information necessary for learning scales

Which Scales Should I Learn?
this page outlines the important scales for a few main genres of music

What Are Modes?
a definition of modes for guitarists

Playing Scales: Fretting and Picking
get the most out of your hands while playing scales

Information on Keys
how do you know what key a song is in? check out this page for help

Which Scales Can I Play?
you have a chord progression in G, but what scales and what modes can you play over it?

Learning Scales
scales don't have to be boring; here are some suggestions so you learn them, not learn to hate them

Translating Scales and Modes Into Any Key
I showed you the modes in G or Em, so learn how to play them in ANY key

Minor Scales
how to make learning minor scales easier: the relatedness of major and minor scales
The Natural Minor Scale
pattern of half and whole steps
The Aeolian Mode
the basic scale: the first mode

The Locrian Mode
the second mode

The Ionian Mode
the third mode; also the relative major scale

The Dorian Mode
the fourth mode

The Phrygian Mode
the fifth mode

The Lydian Mode
the sixth mode

The Mixolydian Mode
the seventh mode
The Natural Minor Key
putting it all together

Natural Minor RealAudio Chord Progressions
practice soloing with the natural minor scale using these RA files
Back to the Minor Scales
Back to Dansm's Guitar Scale Lessons

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© 1997 Daniel E. Smith.